The E4 from Sougia to Agia Roumeli: the wild coast

East of Sougia the road ends and the White Mountains fall straight into the sea. The European long-distance path E4 keeps going. It climbs over headlands, drops into gorges and passes beaches that only walkers and boats ever reach, until it comes down to Agia Roumeli at the mouth of the Samaria gorge.

The way

From Sougia the path climbs east, high above the sea. On the way are the terraces of ancient Pikilassos and the ruins of a Venetian fort, and a short detour leads to the chapel of Prophet Elias, about 400 metres up, with a view along the whole coast.

The path then drops into the Tripiti gorge and out to the sea, passes the beach of Sendoni and reaches Domata, a beach at the mouth of the Klados gorge. From there comes the hardest and most beautiful part: a climb through pines along the cliff edge to about 550 metres, then a very steep descent to Agia Roumeli. That last stretch alone takes around four hours.

Who it is for

This is not a walk to try on a whim. It is long, steep in places, and the path can be hard to follow, especially after Sendoni. Fallen trees have made some parts harder in recent years. Walk it with someone, tell someone where you are going, and start early.

A shorter taste: Tripiti

If the whole way is too much, walk only to Tripiti, about four hours one way. Going there and back in a day is very tiring, so take a boat to Tripiti and walk back to Sougia. Do not start along the shore from Sougia: the cliffs there are loose. The marked path begins about 300 metres up the riverbed.

Water and getting back

There is almost no water on the way. A small spring by an oleander bush flows slowly and can dry up in summer, and the cistern at the chapel holds rainwater that may not be clean. On a hot day you may need up to three litres. Stay the night in Agia Roumeli, or take the afternoon ferry back to Sougia.

Arriving in Agia Roumeli the easier way: Samaria, two ways from Sougia →

Best in spring and autumn, never in the midday heat. Ask at the harbour about boats to Tripiti before you plan the day.